Mizzou is headed home earlier than most anticipated after falling 67-57 to the eleventh-seeded Drake Bulldogs. The Tigers could not break the Bulldog’s suffocating defense in a game where Drake controlled most of the time. Mizzou attempted to mount a late comeback, cutting the lead to just one, but Drake responded with a six-to-nothing run to put the game away. Strong performances from start guard Bennett Stirtz and Forward Tavion Banks fueled the Bulldogs. Stirtz finished with 21 points and four assists, while Banks added 15 points of his own and nine rebounds. Drake shot 25 of 46 from the field and 5 of 10 from beyond the arc.

The Tigers took a while to get going offensively. Mizzou was held to only 23 points in the first half, its lowest-scoring half of the season. The Tigers finally got it going ten minutes into the second half, but it was too late. Wichita native Caleb Grill led the team with 14 points but only went one for seven from beyond the arc. Tamar Bates had 10 in support, with the rest of Mizzou’s roster struggling. The Tigers shot 15 of 45 from the field and 4 of 16 from three-point range. Mizzou turned the ball over 17 times, significantly more than its season average of 10.7 per game.

Following the game, Coach Dennis Gates said, “ This game does not speak for our success… I’m extremely proud of our guys. I’ll keep saying that.” Gates remarked about how the game came down to execution and shot-making. Gates said, “Their ball went in more than ours at a different rate. That impacts the game, too. They were 20 for 36 from two-point field goals, five for 10. I believe from three, they shot over 50%. We shot less than 40. That changes the perspective of a game, and I credit them because they really made tough shots. It’s not that our guys were doing something wrong. They made tough shots.” 

However, in the end, Coach Gates had less to say about the game and more to say about his players. “You know, being called someone’s coach is a lifelong title they’ll tell their children, their future spouses. I’ll always be coach. Hey, Coach Gates, in some way, shape or form, I’ll always be coach.” 

Missouri’s players had almost the same response as Coach Gates. Drake executed better. Caleb Grill compared the game to the loss at Texas earlier in SEC play, “This reminds us, reminds me, at least in the Texas Game, and they played a similar style of basketball to them, and they frustrated us, and credit to them for executing their game.” Tamar Bates added, “We knew coming into the game that they were a heavy pack line type of defense. So we knew we needed to try to distort their shell with some of the things that we do, you know, punching the gaps and getting off of the ball quicker. We weren’t able to, I mean, we had some moments doing that, but, I mean, we had too many turnovers, 17 for the game, which is extremely uncharacteristic, because we had plays where we weren’t just getting off of it quick enough.” 

All in all, Missouri had a historic season, rising from winless in conference to tied for sixth in the SEC and a bid to the NCAA tournament. Along the way, the Tigers picked up wins against No. 1 Kansas, No. 5 Florida on the road and No. 4 Alabama. What was a great season now has the stain of a first-round exit. Despite the night’s disappointment, Mizzou has a lot to be proud of from this year. Tamar Bates said, “We did a lot of really good things this year, and I’m extremely proud, mainly for the reason being that, you know, nobody cared for the University of Missouri basketball before the season, and obviously, a lot of people started to talk about us. And, you know, maybe showed a little bit more appreciation and national recognition as the year went on. But because of the guys in that locker room, the 18 guys that we have, the coaches in that locker room, and what has got to preach to us all year, and in the belief that he instilled in our group.” The loss will sting for a while but should motivate a Tiger team that returns much of the same core next season.